Deter

Field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) represent an important computing infrastructure which must be protected from attackers. They are used in a wide variety of applications, including networking routers, satellites, military equipment, and automobiles, among others. The storage of FPGA programming information in memory external to the device creates a natural security weakness which, to date, has primarily been addressed via bitstream encryption.

Software vulnerabilities are weaknesses in the code that may be exploited by cybercriminals to harm a system. They often do not hinder a program's functionality, and are thus difficult to detect. This project focuses on developing methods to identify such "weak spots" in a program, where vulnerabilities are more likely to occur.

Considerable research in the field has been focused on developing new technologies to enhance privacy; encryption of personal data is often presented as a potential solution. Many of the technologies resulting from this research are not being effectively utilized because of issues rooted in human judgment under risk and uncertainty. The majority of existing models and products related to human judgement are based on a limited number of documented incidents and on questionable assumptions about user intent and behavior.

Moving Target defense (MTD) is a new Cybersecurity paradigm for deterring and disturbing attacks proactively in order to counter the ?asymmetry? phenomena in cyber warfare. A number of moving target techniques have been recently proposed to inverse this asymmetry by randomizing systems? attributes (e.g., configuration) and exhibiting non-determinism to attackers. However, due to potential inter-dependency between various MTD mechanisms, an ad hoc combination of MTD techniques can cause profoundly detrimental effect on security, performance and the operational integrity of the system.

Recent reports have highlighted incidents of massive Internet traffic interception executed by re-routing Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) paths across the globe (affecting banks, governments, entire network service providers, etc.). The potential impact of these attacks can range from massive eavesdropping to identity-spoofing or selective content modification. In addition, executing such attacks does not require access or proximity to the affected links and networks, posing increasing risks to national security.